Life As We Know It
by Kadiedid
Summary: Somehow they know that life is going to change but is it too late? Team fic written for the NCISLA Fanfiction Challenge with a little Densi thrown in for good measure!
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N Written for the NCISLA Fanfiction Challenge. Please review!**_

* * *

"Come on Kens, look at me," he pleaded. He watched her face but saw no sign of her having heard his voice. He held her left hand in both of his as his eyes drifted between her face and the green bouncing lines on the screen monitoring her heart. How could he have let this happen? He was supposed to have her back. He was supposed to keep things like this from happening to her.

"Kens, please… wake up. I'm so sorry… please forgive me," he said softly. He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumbs and tried to keep his emotions in check. Hot tears threatened to escape but he furiously wiped at his eyes and tried to sit up straighter in hopes it would help his resolve to be strong for her.

"It's okay Kens. I know you want to wake up but you're so damn stubborn sometimes… Please, please come back. I can't do this without you… I can't… I don't… not without you… please…" he whispered.

Unable to keep the tears from falling any longer, he laid his head on the side of her bed and gave in to them. Her hand still in his, he drifted into an uneasy sleep as he recalled the events that led up to this horrible reality.

* * *

_**Three Days Earlier…**_

"Morning Sunshine!" Deeks said grinning at Kensi as he sauntered into the bullpen.

"Why do you have to be so cheerful on a Monday morning?" she asked grumpily.

"What are you talking about? I'm always cheerful," he said with his patented smirk. He was rewarded with the rolling of her eyes which was exactly what he was hoping for.

The daily banter between the two of them was legendary and sometimes the staff would find an excuse to work near the bullpen at the beginning of the day just for the entertainment value. He would push her buttons and eventually she would explode or physically punch him in the arm. On certain days it could be quite comical. Mondays were always the best, however.

"What? Did Kensi get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" he asked sarcastically.

"No, I did not and for your information, I'm not grumpy. You're just overly… overbearing," she sputtered.

"I'm overbearing? All I did was say good morning! Oh, wait… I'll bet they didn't have your favorite donuts this morning and that's why you're so grumpy."

"I'm NOT grumpy Deeks!" she said raising her voice.

"She sure sounds grumpy to me, does she sound grumpy to you Sam?" Callen asked as they both entered the bullpen.

"She sure doesn't sound happy. What did you do Deeks? Eat her donuts again?"

"For your information, Kensi is grumpy because she didn't get her favorite donuts this morning and I had absolutely nothing to do with it."

"I'M NOT GRUMPY!" Kensi yelled as she jumped up out of her seat which caused everyone to stop what they were doing and look directly at her.

"Miss Blye, are we having difficulties this morning?" Hetty asked as she walked up behind her.

Kensi sat down heavily in her chair and replied softly, "No Hetty, I'm just fine."

"Good. Then I suggest you all get busy and finish those reports before noon today."

The blow up had occurred as scheduled and soon everyone was back to their regular routine… except for Kensi.

Deeks looked over at his partner and felt a pang of guilt for pushing her buttons but he also couldn't deny the fact that he sort of enjoyed being able to get her to show emotion, even if it was anger. He was one of the few people who were able to get past the huge barriers she placed around her heart and he did so as often as possible. After he was sure she had calmed down, he reached into his bag and pulled out a small white bakery box. He quietly walked over and sat it on her desk then went back to his own. He pretended to work on his reports but managed to watch her reaction over the top of the paper he was reading.

Kensi ignored her partner at first but when he placed the box on her desk, her curiosity got the best of her. She slowly opened the lid to the box and a huge grin spread across her face. Inside were three of her favorite donuts. She looked over at Deeks and smiled as she bit into the first one. He may drive her crazy at times but he also knew how to make up for it.

Deeks knew he was forgiven the moment he saw her smile. Unfortunately his favorite pastime of watching Kensi eat her donuts was interrupted by Eric and his annoying whistle.

"We've got a case!" he said loudly.

* * *

Kensi and Deeks were going to the apartment of a missing Marine named Richard Nichols. Evidence had been found connecting Nichols to the theft of a highly classified experimental antidote for nerve gas poisoning from a government owned testing lab in San Diego. Sam and Callen had driven to Camp Pendleton to arrest him but when they arrived, they learned he was AWOL as of this morning. He was not at his home on the base but Nell had found another residence in his name in Los Angeles. Kensi and Deeks had been sent to his apartment to do the honors.

As they walked up to the door Deeks asked, "So, am I forgiven?"

"Probably not. What are you referring to?"

"For earlier, when you were grumpy."

She sighed and glared at him as she rang the door bell.

"I meant when you were… you know… upset."

"I wasn't upset Deeks. I was just tired and you were… you were annoying me."

He frowned slightly, wondering why she was so tired on a Monday morning. "Wild weekend?" he asked dreading her answer. Since the day they had admitted there was a 'thing' a few months back he had basically stopped dating and had been spending more of his spare time with her. He didn't remember making a conscious decision not to date. It just sort of happened. They never talked about it but he secretly hoped she had stopped dating other guys. Now he was worried she hadn't.

She looked through the window then knocked loudly on the door when she couldn't see anything. "No. Just having trouble sleeping," she replied."

That was a gross understatement. Ever since their neighborhood undercover op she had been lying awake at night arguing with herself over the pros and cons of having a real relationship with her partner. When she did finally fall asleep, she would inevitably wake up reaching for him and find herself extremely disappointed when he wasn't there. When he arrived all happy and smiling this morning, she couldn't help but be jealous. Jealous that he obviously had no problems sleeping and insanely jealous of the person he had spent the weekend with that had made him so cheerful.

He was partially relieved by her answer but still not convinced. "Have you tried warm milk with cinnamon? I tried it last week and it seems to help."

"You having trouble sleeping too Deeks?" she asked somewhat hopefully.

"Uh, maybe." He reached over to try the door knob and found that it wasn't locked. He reached back for his gun and sent her a look which she understood completely. She pulled out her gun and they both moved to either side of the door as he shoved it open then yelled, "NCIS, Federal Agents! We just need to talk to you Nichols!"

When there was no answer he slowly stepped inside and she followed closely behind him. The place had been ransacked. There were CD's lying everywhere and all the cushions on the couch and chair had been shredded. They quietly made their way through the apartment with their guns raised. They entered the bedroom where the devastation was worse. There had obviously been a computer on the desk recently but it had been taken along with all the disks and some of the cords. She was looking at the books strewn all around the nightstand next to the bed when she heard Deeks call her.

"Kens, in here," he called from the bathroom.

As she entered the tiny room she gasped and put her hand over her mouth. Lying in the tub, totally submerged in bloody water was Richard Nichols. There were shallow cuts in his abdomen and thighs and the one in his chest still contained the knife used to torture him to death.

Deeks pulled out his cell phone and called Callen, "Looks like we found our missing Marine."

* * *

An hour later, Callen and Sam had joined them at Nichols apartment. The forensics team had thoroughly tagged and bagged every possible clue and was packing up their equipment to leave. Nichols' body had already been removed.

"Got anything yet?" Callen asked as he and Sam found the junior partners in Nichols' bedroom.

"Nothing official. We talked to some of the neighbors but no one seems to have heard anything. We were just talking about the condition of his body," Deeks said as he deferred to Kensi to continue.

"His hands were bound behind him and he had been gagged. The wounds were intended to inflict maximum pain but were not life threatening."

"Except, of course the last one that went right through his heart. I'm pretty sure the lab will tell us the water was added to the tub after he was dead," Deeks commented.

"Why do you think that?" Sam asked.

"Unfortunately I've seen this before," Deeks said sadly. "The victim is cut which is painful enough, and then pure alcohol is poured in the wound. I'm guessing they got the information they needed. They probably filled the tub with water in hopes of destroying any evidence."

"You've seen this before? Where?" Callen asked.

"I was working undercover as a drug dealer and was forced to watch the ring leader 'discipline' one of his men suspected of stealing from him. He didn't kill him though… well, at least not then."

Callen shook his head and said, "Let's get back to Ops and see if Eric and Nell have found anything."

* * *

The ride back was quiet. Too quiet. Kensi wasn't used to silence coming from her partner. It was unnerving.

"Hey, what's up?" she asked glancing over at him.

"Nothing. Just thinking."

"Don't strain yourself," she teased hoping to get him to lighten up.

He smiled briefly but again became quiet and stared out the window.

"What's wrong Deeks?"

He sighed and leaned back on the headrest. "This case just brings back some unpleasant memories."

"From when you were undercover?"

"Yeah."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really."

She let it go. If he wanted to tell her about it he would when he was ready. She wasn't going to push him.

He sat quietly for a few more minutes then said, "Thanks Kens."

"Thanks for what?"

"For having my back. And for being a damn good partner."

She looked over at him and smiled then added, "You're a pretty good partner yourself Deeks."

He remained quiet as they finished the ride to the Mission. His thoughts were reluctantly dragged back to a time when he was on his own. No backup. No team. Just him, working alone to bring down an illegal drug operation. He had done it too but not without sacrificing part of his soul to do it. It had been four months of hell but he had convinced himself it was the only way. Maybe it had been at the time but he was thankful for the team and the way they operated cases now but most of all, he was thankful for his partner and the way they worked together so well.

* * *

"Got anything new?" Callen asked as he entered Ops with Sam, Deeks and Kensi right behind him.

"There are no cameras on the apartment complex and without an exact time of death we really can't pinpoint any particular vehicles that pass by the nearest traffic cam," Eric said disappointed.

"We did however identify a few of his close friends," Nell said as she put their ID's up on the screen.

"Hey, we talked to that guy this morning," Deeks said as he pointed at one of the pictures and looked at it closely.

"Yeah, he was a couple of doors down from Nichols and he was the only one who seemed disturbed by the murder," Kensi added.

"Bradley Northcutt, recently discharged honorably from the Marine Corps after serving four years. His record is clean except for a drunk and disorderly incident a couple of years back," Nell clarified.

"Deeks you and Kensi go back and see if you can get any more information from Northcutt," Callen ordered. "Nell you and Eric see if you can dig up anything else on him, Sam and I will track down some of his other buddies."

"On it," Deeks said as he and Kensi left Ops.

When they arrived back at the apartment complex they immediately noticed the open door to Northcutt's place. They approached cautiously and entered quietly with guns raised. After a quick check of the small apartment they found no one.

"Looks like he left in a hurry," Deeks said noticing the clothes tossed on the bed.

"Well, we know he didn't kill Nichols but he definitely knows something about what's going on," Kensi suggested.

"How so?"

"I don't think he knew Nichols was dead until we told him this morning. He obviously got scared and left soon after we did."

"Probably worried he was next," Deeks replied in agreement. He got out his cell phone and called Ops.

"Eric, do you have a vehicle registered to Northcutt? Looks like he took off before we got here."

"Uh, yeah. 1988 Ford pickup. Looking for it now. Shouldn't be too hard to find. I'll call you back as soon as we get something."

Kensi and Deeks put on their gloves and began searching the apartment.

"Doesn't look like he's been living here long," Kensi observed.

"Kens, not everyone collects stuff like you do. He could have been living here for years. Callen's place looks like this."

She rolled her eyes but didn't comment.

"But… I think you're right. It's like he was just staying here temporarily. The fridge is too empty and there's not even a trash can in the kitchen. People on the run don't usually take trash cans."

They continued to search the apartment but didn't find anything helpful. As they were about to leave, Deeks phone rang.

"What have you got Eric?"

"I found the truck."

"Great. Where?" he asked as he and Kensi began walking toward her car.

"Well, it's on the 110 but…"

"North or southbound?"

"Neither. It's in a crumpled heap in the median. It was reported as a fatality accident. Witnesses say it was run off the road by a large black van. I'm working traffic cams now."

"When did this happen?"

"About fifteen minutes ago."

"When you find the van call us. We're headed to the scene. Let Callen and Sam know. If any of Nichols' other buddies were part of this they may be in danger."

"What?" Kensi asked frowning.

"Northcutt's dead. Someone is tying up loose ends."

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Just a reminder that I don't own NCIS Los Angeles or anything remotely associated with it. Darn!**

* * *

The scene of the accident was horrific. It took them over an hour to get there because of the traffic. They had finally resorted to parking on the service road and walking almost half a mile to the location. Only one lane was open and there were a lot of angry Los Angelinos on the 110.

Deeks flashed his badge and walked up to the officer in charge.

"Hey Wilks."

"We're a little busy here Deeks, what do you want?" Wilks said testily.

Kensi flashed her badge and said, "What we want is information about the accident and the Marine who was driving this truck."

Wilks looked her over then smirked at Deeks. He pointed at the pile of twisted metal and said, "What's left of him is still in that heap. We're waiting on the 'Jaws' to cut him out," he replied referring to the equipment used to cut the metal away from the body.

"Witnesses?" Deeks asked.

"Plenty, and they all say the same thing."

"Which is…?" Kensi asked annoyed.

"Well Missy, they all said…"

"It's Agent Blye to you," Deeks interrupted sternly.

Wilks grinned at Deeks then turned to Kensi, "Well, _Agent_ Blye, they all said a black van hit the truck several times from behind before finally knocking it off the road. It hit the edge of that retaining wall back there and flipped several times before it landed over here."

"Anyone get a description of the driver?" Deeks asked.

"Tinted windows and before you ask, no plates either."

Deeks sighed and looked at Kensi.

"Thank you _Officer_ Wilks," Kensi said pointedly as she and Deeks walked back in the direction of her car.

"Let's hope Eric can do his magic with the traffic cams," Deeks said showing his frustration.

"I take it you and Wilks aren't on the best of terms?"

"No."

She waited for him to explain but after a bit she said, "That's it?"

"Yes. I mean no. He's just a jerk. No big deal."

"Well, I agree with you there," she huffed.

They made their way back to her car and slowly maneuvered through the gridlock back to Ops.

Eric had found grainy footage of the truck just before it struck the retaining wall. He and Nell watched as it flipped end over end four times before it came to a skidding halt in the median. The black van sped away but identification was impossible since there were no plates on it.

"By now, they have either dumped the van or have it in a shop being repaired and repainted, "Nell said.

"Maybe not," Eric thought out loud. He had followed the van on the traffic cams until he lost it in an old industrial area where cameras were almost non-existent.

"What are you thinking?" Nell asked intrigued.

"What if these guys aren't well-funded or maybe they're not very smart?" he asked as he tapped furiously on his keyboard.

"Yeah, go on," she prodded.

"Bingo!" he said proudly. He put up a video on the big screen of a large black van with California plates pulling out of a convenience store near where they last had visual confirmation. The front of the vehicle was obviously damaged.

"Way to go Eric!" Nell said smiling.

They followed the van with the camera system to a poorly maintained body shop where it was driven into a dark bay and the doors closed behind it.

* * *

Sam and Callen had visited the apartments of two of Nichols' known associates. Both had been home and neither of them seemed to really care about Nichols' death. They both insisted they hadn't talked to him in over a year nor did they know Northcutt.

"Truth or Lie?" Callen asked Sam as they drove to the last address on the list.

"I think they're both telling the truth. That level of indifference is hard to fake," Sam replied.

"Yeah, I agree. Seems like Nichols' wasn't the 'buddy' type."

They arrived at the home of Jason Martello and were surprised at what they found.

"Are you sure this guy was just discharged?" Sam asked. "I don't know very many Marines who could afford this just after rotating out."

The house wasn't huge but it was nice. The lawn was immaculate and the house itself was well cared for. The partners made their way up the walk to the front door and rang the bell. Both took the time while waiting to observe the property and look for anything unusual. When no one answered Callen rang the bell a second time. Again there was no response.

"You go that direction, I'll go this way and meet you around back," Callen motioned to Sam.

Sam walked quietly down the driveway directly to the back gate taking peeks in the windows as he went. He slowly opened the unlocked gate to the back yard and was surprised to see a large swimming pool and beautifully landscaped lawn.

Callen moved silently through the shrubbery near the house and climbed over the six foot privacy fence with ease. He met Sam in the back and asked, "You see any signs of cameras?"

"No. You?"

"Not so far." He walked under the covered back porch to the door and noticed a keypad to the right.

"Guess we won't be breaking in to take a look around," Sam said quietly.

"No. Looks like stake out time for us."

"Uhhhh. Really?" Sam moaned. "I hate stakeouts."

Callen started walking toward the gate to the driveway with Sam following close behind. "You just don't like them because I won't let you listen to that stuff you call music."

"There is nothing wrong with improvisational jazz G."

"Except that I don't like it and it makes me nervous."

"You should open up your mind and experiment with new things sometimes," Sam said hopefully.

Callen checked the garage and noticed a keypad there as well. He continued down the driveway. "I did. And I still don't like it."

Sam sighed as they reached the car and got inside. He started up the engine as Callen called Eric.

"We need everything you can find on Jason Martello. Something doesn't smell right here."

They drove around the block and returned to park about sixty yards down the street from the house.

"You think we're stuck here all night G.?" Sam asked irritated.

"No, I think we're stuck here until about midnight. Kensi and Deeks can take over then."

Sam laughed and replied, "Kensi's gonna love you for that!"

He took out the binoculars and set them on the dashboard. "Kensi is not going to care. She willingly spends plenty of her spare time with Deeks."

"Yeah, but not locked up in a car for eight hours straight. He'll be dead by morning. You'll see," Sam said grinning.

Callen laughed and picked up the binoculars to check out other houses in the neighborhood.

* * *

"A stakeout? Tonight? Really?" Deeks asked incredulous when he and Kensi finally made it back to Ops.

"Sorry guys. Callen said to be there at midnight and not a minute past," Eric said smirking.

All four of them jumped when Hetty said, "May I suggest that you two go home and get some rest so you will be alert this evening."

"Hetty," Deeks gasped holding his hand across his heart. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep for three days now. We didn't hear you come in."

Hetty just smiled and turned to exit the room. "Go home. Sleep," she said as she walked away.

"Call us if something comes up," Kensi told Nell as she pushed Deeks ahead of her out of Ops.

"Want to grab a bite before we go home?" she asked hopefully.

"I've got a better idea. How about we grab a pizza, go back to my place and crash until we have to take over for Sam and Callen?"

"Deeks…" she started.

"I'll crash on the couch and you can sleep in my room," he interrupted. "Come on. I promise to be a complete gentleman and besides, we can sleep a little longer if one of us doesn't have to go pick the other one up."

She had to admit he was right. They would save over half an hour if they stayed at his place. "Okay but I get to pick the pizza this time," she grinned as they walked to her car.

He grimaced and said, "Not that rot gut stuff again please!"

She just smiled and kept walking.

* * *

It was past ten o'clock and the two senior partners were getting antsy watching Martello's house. There had been no activity at the residence the entire six hours they had been sitting in the car.

"I think I'm gonna have to leave you here while I take the car to the nearest convenience store. I'm starving and I really need to pee," Sam said grimacing.

"Fine, but don't be gone too long," Callen replied as he opened the car door. "Bring me back a sandwich and some coffee," he tossed back as he moved in the shadows closer to the house.

Sam pulled away from the curb and drove off leaving Callen alone in the far too quiet neighborhood. They had been parked in the perfect spot. Shrubbery blocked the car from being seen from two different houses. The one home that had a perfect view of them had been as lifeless as the one they were watching.

Callen had moved closer and positioned himself uncomfortably between two bushes as he kept an eye on the premises. Sam had only been gone about five minutes when a bright red Camero pulled into Martello's driveway. The headlights shone brightly on Callen's current spot in the bushes but he was too well hidden to be noticed. The garage door opened as the car neared. He heard voices as the engine shut down and the lights were cut.

A small limb was painfully poking him in the back but he managed to maneuver himself for a better look up the driveway. A man and a woman exited the garage and stumble walked toward the gate to the back yard. The door closed silently behind the car as the two were obviously too preoccupied with each other to notice anything or anyone who might be watching.

She giggled loudly as his hands groped her body. She returned the favor and kissed his neck as they disappeared behind the gate. The giggles faded as they evidently entered the house. He observed lights going on and off and froze as light suddenly flooded the window nearest his hideout. He instinctively stepped farther back in the shrubs which caused the offending limb to poke him even harder.

The two entered the room and began shedding clothes oblivious to the uncovered window. The man was definitely Martello and the giggly blonde was probably the girlfriend Eric and Nell had uncovered during their research earlier in the day.

Callen was relieved when Martello finally turned off the lights before it became more x rated than it was already. He remained in his hiding place until he saw Sam drive past the house on his way to their parking place.

He wormed his way quietly out of the bushes and crept back to the car in the shadows. Sam had just pulled out his phone to send Callen a text when the passenger door opened suddenly causing him to drop the phone and grab his gun.

"Damn it Callen! Couldn't you have warned me or something?"

"Where's the fun in that?" he grinned as he plopped down in the seat and shut the door.

"I could have shot you!" Sam argued.

"No you couldn't. The safety's on," he said pointing at the gun.

* * *

Deeks awoke to the low rumble of the TV in his apartment. He immediately realized he was lying on his couch. His next realization was that he was not alone. He tried to remember exactly how they had both wound up sleeping here when she was supposed to be in his room.

They had been eating pizza and watching an old movie. At some point they must have both fallen asleep. However, it didn't explain how they managed to wind up in their current position. He was lying on his back as far back on the couch as possible. Kensi was lying beside him with half her body on top of his. His arm was underneath her and wrapped around her back while hers was lying across his chest.

He knew she would be embarrassed if she woke up and noticed their current sleeping arrangement but he wasn't sure what to do about it. He ultimately decided to do nothing. He shifted just enough so that he could see her face. She looked so peaceful and comfortable and he couldn't help but watch her as she slept. He tightened his grip and pulled her a little closer and closed his eyes. He wished he could stay like this with her forever. The last five hours had been the best sleep he'd had since they had shared a bed during their last undercover op. He smiled as he remembered waking up several times with them in much the same position as they were in now.

Unfortunately, he knew the alarm would be going off soon and his current version of heaven would abruptly end. He would have to be content with the time they had left, knowing these opportunities were few and far between.

It seemed he had just drifted back to sleep when the alarm on his phone began to buzz loudly. Kensi jerked her head up to look around as he pushed himself up and reached over her to grab the phone. He pushed the snooze button as he moved back to his spot on the couch. He was sure Kensi would jump up and move away but again she surprised him by snuggling back up against him. His arm was asleep but he didn't care. She was here willingly cuddled up with him and it was the best feeling in the world.

The second time the alarm went off; they knew they had to get up if they were going to be on time.

"Man, I wish we didn't have to go stakeout that loser's house," Deeks said groggily.

Kensi yawned but made no move to get up. "I need coffee and lots of it," she croaked out.

"Why don't you go get ready and I'll make us some?" He moved to get up and he felt her grip him tighter.

"Can't we just stay here for a few more minutes? We can get coffee on the way," she said softly.

He instinctively kissed the top of her head without thinking and was sure she was going to rip him for it. When she didn't comment he smiled and said, "Okay but when the alarm goes off again we have to get up. I don't want to face the wrath of Sam and Callen if we're late." He felt her relax and was grateful she had become so comfortable with him.

Kensi groaned loudly when the alarm went off for the final time. She reluctantly got up and shuffled to the bathroom knowing they only had a few minutes before they had to leave if they were going to be on time.

Deeks watched her go and couldn't help but smile at how adorable she looked with her wild bed hair.

* * *

"Five bucks says they'll be late," Sam challenged before a yawn took over his face.

"I'm not taking that bet," Callen replied, "because I agree with you. He'll blame it on her and she'll blame it on him but they will definitely be late."

It was ten minutes to twelve and they both had a bad case of 'tired butt'. They couldn't wait to get someplace where they could walk around for awhile. Five minutes later Callen's phone rang.

"It's Deeks," he informed Sam.

"Please don't tell me you just woke up," he said as he answered his phone.

"No we didn't," Kensi answered. "We'll be there in a few minutes but wanted to check in before we arrived."

"Oh, hey Kens. All's quiet here. Martello is home with some blonde woman but we don't have a positive ID on her yet."

"But he definitely got a good look at her," Sam said loudly as he flashed a smirk at Callen.

Kensi wondered what he meant but decided she probably didn't really want to know. "Where should we park?" she asked.

"You'll see us when you turn onto the street."

Kensi had let Deeks drive for a change but he doubted it was because she was being benevolent. He was pretty sure she planned to stretch out and nap some more. He pulled into a convenience store near their destination and opened the car door.

"Want anything besides coffee?" he asked her.

"Nope."

Yeah right, he thought as he walked into the store. He knew from experience that she would be craving something sweet about an hour into their assignment. He picked up several things he knew she liked along with a couple of snacks for himself then poured two large coffees and added the correct amount of sugar in hers.

"What's that?" she asked pointing at the bag when he returned to the car.

"Survival kit."

She frowned slightly and repeated, "Survival kit?"

"Yes. My survival. Your kit," he replied, flashing the smile he reserved just for her.

* * *

"You should have taken that bet G." Sam said when Kensi and Deeks pulled up behind them at exactly midnight.

Callen got out of the car and walked over to the driver's side expecting to see Kensi. He was surprised to see Deeks as the window slid down.

"What's this? Is she too sleepy to drive?" he whispered.

"No," she answered quickly. "I thought Deeks needed some practice."

"What she really means is that she needs her beauty sleep," Deeks replied.

Before she could think of a comeback Callen pointed at the house in question, "He's there with either his girlfriend or someone he picked up. If he leaves, follow him but call me." He started to walk away then turned back and said to Kensi, "Try not to kill him, okay?"

"Hey! I'll have you know she loves my witty banter!" Deeks loudly whispered back.

* * *

_**A/N I love reviews. Just sayin'.**_


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/N I so appreciate all the reviews and alerts! _ **

* * *

At one o'clock a.m. Kensi asked, "So… what's in the bag exactly?"

Deeks laughed and reached behind her seat to pick it up. He tossed it in her lap. "Pace yourself," he said grinning.

She eagerly opened the bag and dug through the contents. She quickly unwrapped a sticky bun and moaned softly as she chewed the pastry.

Deeks looked over and smirked, "Was it good for you?"

She glared back at him and kept eating.

"So, are you gonna tell me why you were upset this morning?" he asked tentatively. He noticed her tense up.

"I told you I wasn't upset. I was tired."

"Because you haven't been sleeping well, yeah I remember. But I think there's more to it than that."

"There's not."

"Okay. Then how come you haven't been sleeping well?"

"Deeks. Just drop it. You don't tell me about your sleeping habits. Why do you need to know about mine?"

"I didn't ask about your sleeping habits. Although it might be interesting to… never mind. I asked why you aren't sleeping."

"Semantics."

"Not really. For instance, my sleeping habits might include whether or not I sleep in pajamas or go _'au naturale'_."

She snorted and took another bite of her pastry.

"Reasons I might not be sleeping well could include but might not be limited to; noisy neighbors, Monty snoring, or maybe even… missing someone."

"Are you missing your weekend yoga bunny Deeks?" she asked irritated.

"Who? What yoga bunny?"

"Whoever it was you slept with this weekend," she said gritting her teeth.

He couldn't stop the laugh that escaped his lips.

"Wow," was all he could think of to say. He stopped laughing and said quietly, "I know you're gonna find this hard to believe Kens but the only person I've slept with in months is you."

He turned toward her with a serious look.

Her head jerked toward him and she stared at him in shock.

"I… you… really?" she sputtered.

"I know we didn't _'sleep'_ together on that undercover op or tonight but we did _literally_ sleep together," he said using air quotes.

She continued to stare at him.

"What? You think I sleep with every woman I meet? I mean I'm charming but you must think I'm Superman," he commented grinning widely.

"I do not think you sleep with every woman you meet Deeks," she said looking back at the house.

He was quiet for a minute then he added, "Good. I'm glad. Because I don't."

They spent the next few minutes in silence then she said, "Me too."

He looked at her confused, "Me too what?"

She looked through the binoculars and replied, "You're the only person I've _'slept with'_ in months too."

He looked at her and smiled then said quietly, "Good to know."

* * *

They had taken turns napping and watching the house. They were in the middle of a "Kensi nap time" when Deeks saw a car coming down the street in front of them. It was around five thirty in the morning and there had been only one car drive past them the entire night.

"Kens. Kens wake up," he said as he reached for her arm and jostled her.

She sat up immediately and saw the car. They both slid down in their seats as it came closer. He looked toward her as soon as it pulled into the driveway across the street from them. This was the one house that had a clear view of their vehicle. They watched as the late model car pulled into the garage and the door closed behind it.

"We might need to move to a new spot," she said softly.

"Maybe not. If they just worked a night shift, they'll probably go straight to bed. I know I would," he said stifling a yawn.

"Look around Deeks. This isn't exactly the neighborhood where night shift workers live."

"Maybe he or she is a lawyer. I pulled plenty of all nighters and would come home early in the morning, shower and dress then head straight back to the office."

"I still have a hard time picturing you as a lawyer. I mean you talk a lot and you're good at twisting things I say to mean something entirely different but…"

"But I don't look like a lawyer," he said keeping an eye on the house across from them.

"Well… yeah."

He smiled and glanced back at her, "I didn't look like this when I worked for the firm." He watched as a light was turned on in the house.

"What was different?"

"Shorter hair. No beard. Suits."

She couldn't help but smile at the picture in her head of a young Deeks in a suit and tie although she much preferred the way her scruffy partner looked now. She made a slight 'hmmmf' sound and Deeks looked at her.

"What? It's true."

"I was just trying to picture you without your scruff."

"And…"

"I think I like you better with it."

He laughed softly. "So you like me now?"

She started to make a snide comment but decided against it. "I like you _most_ of the time Deeks."

He looked back at her and smiled but before he could comment, she pointed at Martello's house. The light in the front bedroom had been turned on.

"I'll keep an eye on this one and you watch Martello," Deeks said as he turned back to the window next to him.

Thankfully, the occupant evidently wasn't worried about them. The lights went off just after Martello's came on and Deeks didn't notice any movement in the house. He looked to the east and saw the sky beginning to get lighter. Before long, the neighborhood would come to life and they would be noticed by more than just the house across the street.

* * *

Fortunately they didn't have to worry about it. Just after six o'clock with the sky significantly brighter, a red car exited Martello's driveway. Deeks started the engine and waited until it turned the corner before pulling away from the curb. Kensi called Callen to let them know they were on the move.

"Could you tell how many people are in the car?" Callen asked.

"No, we're too far away. Maybe we can get a good look at the next stoplight."

"Keep me posted."

Kensi was impressed with her partner's 'tailing' skills. Most of the time they followed a suspect she was the one driving so she had never really seen him in action before. He stayed with the growing traffic but remained far enough behind to not spook the suspect. They finally got caught at a stoplight and were able to see that there was only one person in the red car. She texted the information to Callen along with their current location and the direction they were heading.

Eric and Nell had not been able to find any employment records for Martello since his discharge and Deeks was curious as to where he was going this early in the morning.

"He must want to keep his military figure," he said as they passed the parking lot Martello turned into. It was a local fitness center that advertised twenty four hour availability.

"How does someone with no job afford a membership to a place like this?" Kensi asked.

"Looks like he found a way to make some extra money, like maybe selling the antidote Nichols stole."

"You think he killed him?"

"Maybe. Or maybe the guys he sold it to killed Nichols and Northcutt."

"Which would mean they are planning to kill Martello too."

"Just a theory," Deeks said as he pulled into the parking lot of a small shopping center across the street.

They watched as he entered the building with a bag slung over his shoulder.

"We need to get his phone number so Eric can track his calls," Kensi said. She sent a text to Nell and asked her to check out the girlfriend and see whose name the gym membership was in.

"How do you want to play it?" Deeks asked with his signature smirk.

"The usual?"

"Why do I always have to be the pickpocket?" he said frowning.

"Because you're so good at it and besides, I don't think you would be a plausible distraction since, according to Callen, he obviously likes women."

"Fine. But for the record, one of these days, I'm gonna get to be the distraction."

She couldn't help but laugh as she reached in the back for her go bag. He was just too cute when he was pouting.

He drove into the fitness center parking lot as she pulled her hair up into a pony tail. "You ready?" he asked.

"Yep. You?"

"Always," he replied as he opened the car door.

She almost laughed as she noticed him fake limping to the door.

"What?"

"Why are you limping?" she whispered as they neared the entrance.

"Besides the fact that I can't feel my butt? I have to have a reason to sit it out while you try the exercise equipment, right?"

"Good point."

They walked to the guy at the front desk and Deeks introduced them both.

"Hi. I'm Dr. Kirk Stanton and this is my girlfriend Fern Wyler. We're interested in becoming members here and were wondering, well my Fern was wondering, if she could try out a few machines before we made our final decision."

He looked toward Kensi who flashed a dazzling smile at the guy. He grinned when he noticed the way her jaw was clenched. Either she was going to kill him or she was trying to keep from laughing.

Kensi quickly scanned the room behind the desk and found Martello near the back of the building lifting weights.

"Of course Dr. Stanton," the young man gushed. "Let me give you our brochure and show you to the locker rooms so you can get changed."

"Oh, I won't be working out today," Deeks replied pointing to his knee. "Had a little skiing accident when we went to Vail last month."

"I'm so sorry. You can have a seat over there if you like."

"No, I think I'll watch my Fern workout," he said giving him a wink then looking toward Kensi but she was busy checking out the place and watching their suspect.

He smiled at Deeks in understanding and said, "Right this way."

Kensi followed the young man to the ladies locker room as he limped his way to a bench on the back wall near where Martello was lifting weights. There were very few people in the area at the moment and Deeks gingerly sat down a few feet from the bag he was sure belonged to Martello. He pulled out his cell phone and pretended to check messages as he waited for Kensi to come out. Martello looked his direction once but continued his workout with his back to the wall.

A few minutes later Kensi came out and the atmosphere in the room changed immediately. Heads turned her direction, including his as she entered the room wearing tight exercise shorts and a sports bra. She immediately went to the weight area and walked to the most complicated looking machine she could find. She pretended to fiddle with the controls and Deeks couldn't help but smile as she feigned frustration and began looking around for some help. Martello was more than willing to oblige.

"Need some help?" he asked eagerly.

"Yes, please," she said smiling. "I've never used a machine quite like this and I'm not sure how to set it to the right weight." She moved in front of him to look at the machine and he predictably moved around so that his back was to Deeks. All of the other men in the area were also ogling Kensi. If they weren't in the middle of an op, Deeks would probably take exception to the wandering eyes but she was just doing her job which meant he needed to do his. He moved slightly closer to the bag and deftly tried the closest outside pocket but there was no phone inside. As he was about to reach inside the main part of the bag, he heard a slight buzz he thought was coming from a pocket on the front. He checked to make sure Martello was still busy with Kensi and quickly took the phone from the pocket. He was thankful Martello hadn't put a password on his phone which made it easy to dial the classified number at Ops. As soon as Eric received the call, he would be able to intercept all conversations and messages sent to and from the phone. He would also be able to erase the number immediately. As soon as he heard the machine answer he cut the connection and put the phone back in the pocket of the bag.

He looked up and saw Kensi trying out the machine. No one seemed to have noticed him digging in Martello's bag. He moved back to his original spot and pretended to take a phone call. He got up and started limping toward Kensi.

"Fern honey, I'm really sorry but we have to go."

"Really?" she asked sounding disappointed.

"I just got called in for emergency surgery. We can come back here in the morning if you want."

She sighed, picked up her bag and looked at Martello. "Thanks so much for your help. Maybe I'll see you tomorrow."

"Any time. Bye Fern," Martello replied.

Deeks put his arm around her shoulders as she walked and he limped his way to the front. He told the guy at the desk they would be back to sign up tomorrow as they made their way to the car.

Neither said a word as they drove back to their space across the street to wait for Martello to leave. Finally Deeks couldn't take the silence any longer.

"Okay, okay I know I shouldn't have called you Fern again. Go ahead, hit me. I deserve it," he said as he braced himself for a punch in the arm.

She was lost in a muddle of thoughts. The one that kept making its way to the top had to do with how great it had felt for him to have his arm around her. The others were just the same old arguments she had with herself daily when it came to her feelings toward him.

"What? No… I'm sorry. I just really need coffee. How long do we have to watch this guy?"

Before he could answer, Eric called his phone.

"Hey Eric. Did you get it?"

"I got it. Oh and Sam and Callen are on their way to take over."

"Awesome! Because I don't think Kensi's gonna last much longer without a donut or two."

* * *

_**A/N Please leave a review. They really do make my day!**_


	4. Chapter 4

Sam and Callen pulled in beside them in the small shopping center lot.

Deeks rolled down the window and Callen couldn't help but remark, "Hey look Sam, he's still alive."

"Yes I am and I have the remnants of the survival kit to thank for it."

Kensi just looked at them and rolled her eyes but didn't comment.

"He's been in there for almost an hour. We've been out for about twenty minutes," Deeks informed them.

"Okay, we'll take it from here. We'll see you back at Ops later," Callen instructed.

As the junior partners drove off Sam asked, "You think something's going on between those two?"

"Define 'going on'," Callen replied.

"You know what I mean. They just seem different since that 'married couple' cover. They seem different to you?"

"I think they're getting along better. Living with someone for almost three weeks will either make you or break you. But in answer to your question, I don't think anything is 'going on' as you put it."

Before Sam could comment further, Martello exited the fitness center and got in his car. The traffic was much heavier now and it was easier to follow without being spotted. It was also easier to lose the target which prompted Callen to call Eric and have him keep him in his sights through the traffic cams.

They followed him for over an hour through the dense traffic and watched as he pulled into a construction site. They made a u-turn and parallel parked across the street.

Callen called Eric and asked, "Can you find out who owns this building?" then gave him the address.

"Well, it's hard to tell. It's owned by a company called "Regency Properties" but it looks like it is a satellite of a much larger corporation which is headquartered in Japan. Can't get much more information. Sorry guys."

"No problem, thanks Eric."

As he was about to hang up Eric said, "Hey wait, he's got an incoming call. Want me to patch the audio through?"

"Sure."

They sat and listened to a man with a very thick foreign accent ask to meet with Martello sometime today. Martello seemed worried and asked if there was a problem with the product. The voice said, no but that they needed to talk to him about another lucrative opportunity. Martello seemed eager to do more business with them and arranged to meet at his current location at 5:00 p.m. They agreed and hung up.

"Well, we know where he'll be at 5:00. Let's go back to Ops and work on a plan to round up these guys this afternoon," Callen suggested.

"Sounds good to me. Beats sitting in this car all day."

* * *

Despite the coffee and donuts it was still hard to stay awake. They had been sitting on the couch outside the bullpen, going through the information Nell and Eric had found on Martello and his girlfriend Tiffany but at some point Deeks had fallen asleep with his head on the back on the couch. Kensi had slid down and was lying across his lap and his arm was lying across her waist.

That was how Callen and Sam found them.

"See, I told you something was different," Sam said quietly as they stood and watched their team members.

"Kensi's gonna kill him when she wakes up and realizes where his arm is," Callen said grinning."

"Ten bucks says she doesn't do anything," Sam said turning toward him.

"If she shoves, punches or screams, then I win," Callen clarified.

"You're on."

They both went quietly to their desks and Sam balled up a piece of paper then lobbed it at Kensi. The first one missed but he tried again with much better luck the second time. She opened her eyes and was obviously struggling trying to figure out where she was. She rolled slightly and looked up at Deeks sleeping then realized where she was laying. Callen watched as she rolled to a more comfortable position, closed her eyes and smiled as she went back to sleep.

Sam just looked at him and held out his hand waiting for his ten bucks. Callen shook his head and said, "Technically she's not officially awake."

Neither got the chance to see what might have happened because Deeks 'officially' woke up first. He looked around and saw the guys watching him. He quickly realized Kensi was using him for a pillow and he was using her for an arm rest which was probably why the guys were staring at them. He raised his arm off of her and carefully jostled her awake.

"Hey Kens, the guys are back. Time to get back to work."

She raised her head and slowly moved to the other end of the couch before she finally got up and stretched. It was only nine thirty but it felt like it was already noon. As Deeks made another trip to the coffee machine she noticed the guys were staring at her.

"What?" she asked glaring at them.

"Oh, nothing," Sam said grinning.

Callen just shook his head and asked, "Find out anything useful?"

Kensi walked around and sat at her desk. "Nothing in these files but Deeks has an interesting theory".

"What's that?" Callen asked.

Deeks returned to the bullpen and placed a cup of coffee on Kensi's desk then sat down with his own cup. He told them he thought the buyers might be the ones tying up loose ends and that maybe Martello was next on their list.

Callen looked at Sam then turned to Deeks, "I think your theory might be exactly right. And we know when and where they're planning to do it."

* * *

Later that afternoon, they got further confirmation that Deeks theory was probably correct when Martello tried to contact the two dead men. He had tried to call Nichols and Northcutt multiple times.

"He called his girlfriend twice and she called him three times but all of his other calls were to those two guys," Eric informed them. "Also, the van that was used to run Northcutt off the road has been repaired and is on the move. It is now white and we have the plate numbers. Kaleidoscope is tracking it now."

"Eric, get us the specs on that new construction. We need to work out a plan to get these guys. Kensi, you and Deeks go bring in the girlfriend. She may be in danger too," Callen instructed. "Sam and I will bring in Martello."

* * *

Tiffany was none too happy to be sitting in the boatshed interrogation room nor was she very bright. She kept yelling that she wanted her lawyer and that she needed to call Jason. They had tried to explain that she was not under arrest but was in protective custody but she didn't seem to grasp the whole _'your life may be in danger'_ concept.

Kensi turned off the audio feed as she and Deeks sat at the table waiting for Sam and Callen to arrive with Martello.

"Thank you. My ears were beginning to bleed," Deeks said as he looked at the woman on the monitor who was still obviously yelling. He laid his head down on the table and mumbled, "Why do we always get the babysitting assignments?"

She leaned over and patted him on the head, "It's okay Deeks, it could be worse you know."

"How?" he said looking up at her.

She grinned and replied, "We could be digging through a dumpster looking for evidence."

"You're right. Shutting up," he said as he sat back up. He looked at her and smiled and wondered again what it would be like to kiss her. Really kiss her. His blue eyes locked with her brown ones and he found himself reaching across the table for her hand. His eyes never left hers as their fingers carefully laced together.

The room was quiet but she was sure he could hear her heart racing. This was the first real move either had made toward their undefined 'thing' and even though it was a small step it was infinitely huge to her. Their thumbs gently brushed each other as they continued to communicate with just their eyes. Both of them realizing that life, as they had known it, to this point at least, was about to change somehow.

The intimate moment was interrupted when they heard Callen and Sam enter with Martello. They immediately let go of each other and Kensi got up to turn the audio back on.

Martello was ranting and raving as much as his girlfriend but as soon as he recognized Kensi and Deeks, he shut up and glared at them. He looked over at the monitor and saw as well as heard the frenzied state of his girlfriend then hung his head in defeat.

"I'll tell you what you need to know," he said quietly.

* * *

The suspects had convinced Martello they needed the antidote to protect their countrymen from attacks by their enemies. Callen reminded him that if they had wanted it for noble purposes, they would likely have attempted to go through proper channels to get it.

The possible alternative reasons for wanting it were all extremely frightening which fueled the team to make sure they stopped them.

Martello had been flipping property since his discharge and had evidently been very successful but the chance of a big pay day had been too attractive to pass up for a guy who had spent his life trying to find the deal to end all deals. He currently was working to broker a deal between the owner of the construction project and a possible local buyer.

The team met up in the armory and gathered their weapons and vests then loaded the tactical van. Martello had said there were four men at his original meeting with the group. He had only spoken with one of them but had never been given a name.

Sam drove as Callen rode up front. Kensi and Deeks were in the back double checking their weapons. The drive over was silent but when they arrived at the construction site and pulled onto the lot, Deeks looked over at Kensi and gave her a wink and a quick smile.

Eric had tracked the newly repaired white van and informed them it was on its way to the site. Now all they could do was wait. The blueprints showed the seven story building as it would be once it was completed but they had no idea how much of the building was finished. The outer shell was complete but the inside progress was a mystery at this point.

Kensi and Deeks waited in a dark corner just inside the back entrance while Sam and Callen had taken positions on the opposite side of the room with a view of both possible entrances.

Time seemed to drag by until they finally heard Eric tell them the van had arrived. The plan was to get them into the middle of the room and then block both of the exits hoping they would surrender peacefully. But with all plans, there had to be a contingency in case peaceful surrender was not an option. Callen was confident, they could handle this quickly no matter which way it went.

Deeks watched as six men in suits walked past their hiding place. Once they had passed he whispered "Six" into the earwig for Callen and Sam's benefit.

Callen heard one of the men shout Martello's name as they continued their path into the building. Once they were near the designated point Callen shouted, "Martello's isn't here." He stood up and raised his hands in the air. His rifle was lying on the floor hidden but close in case he needed it.

"Who are you?" the man in charge challenged with a thick accent as the other five drew their guns and pointed them in his direction.

"Actually, I'm NCIS and I'm here to arrest you."

The man laughed and asked "You are here to arrest us? All of us? Just you?" He laughed again but his smile disappeared as Sam stood pointing his rifle at him. He turned to run out the back and stopped short when he saw Kensi and Deeks with their rifles pointed in his direction.

No one was sure what happened next. One of the suspects evidently fired a shot which started a firestorm. The team retreated to their tactical positions and continued to fire at the six men. Two were quickly taken down and the leader took off running to the stairs. When a third man was shot the other two dropped their weapons and surrendered.

Callen motioned for Kensi and Deeks to go after the leader as they secured the scene. They took off in the direction of the wayward suspect and stopped at the first landing. Deeks listened and could hear someone running above them. They continued their climb carefully checking before each turn of the stairs. When they reached the fourth floor, he stopped again and listened but this time he heard nothing. He motioned to Kensi to stay behind him as he slowly ascended the next section with his rifle raised and ready.

At the landing between floors four and five he stopped again and slowly looked up to the next level. Seeing nothing he continued the trek. He reached five and again looked upward with Kensi over halfway up the flight below. Before he could take the next step, the door to five flew open behind him and knocked him into the wall. When he regained his footing he looked up just as a shot rang out and Kensi fell backward down the stairs.

"Kensi!" he screamed as the man turned toward him and time seemed to stand still. The gunman was about to fire but Deeks put two rounds in his chest at close range. The suspect dropped his gun as he fell in a heap where he stood. Deeks kicked the gun away and quickly checked to make sure he was dead before he raced to the bottom of the stairs to Kensi.

"Eric, send an ambulance, Kensi's down!" he screamed. "Kensi please stay with me!" he coaxed as he checked her injuries. The bullet was stopped by the vest but the fall must have caused damage he couldn't see. He was afraid to move her and did his best to remain calm. She was unconscious but her breathing was very shallow. "Kensi baby, come on, open your eyes." He took one of her hands and held it tightly as he spoke softly to her.

"Deeks! Status!" he heard Sam shout through the earwig.

"Fifth floor stairwell. Shooter down. Kensi is… Kensi is down," he choked out.

He could hear sirens in the distance and footsteps running up the stairs but his eyes never left her face, looking for some sign of consciousness. He continued to hold her hand and talk softly hoping she would open her eyes.

"Oh God!" Callen said as they reached them on the stairs and saw her lying there. "How bad?" he asked Deeks.

He tried to be calm but it was obvious he was struggling. "Vest worked. No gunshot wound but… she fell backward… down the stairs."

Sam quickly moved to her and began checking for broken bones. Finding nothing obvious he moved to her head and winced when he felt the huge bump on the back. "She hit her head pretty bad. I don't know about her spine but it's best not to move her as long as she's breathing."

"Eric what's the ETA on the ambulance?" Callen asked.

"They're outside!"

* * *

_**To Be Continued... (Please Review!)**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N This is the final chapter with an epilogue to follow. Please let me know if you enjoyed it!**_

* * *

Time was a blur. He remembers clearly riding in the ambulance with her. He remembers them making him stay outside when they arrived at the ER. He remembers the concern on the doctor's face when he came out to tell them how she was doing but somehow between that time and now he can't seem to remember anything. He vaguely remembers talking to the others but he has no idea if it has been just a few hours or a few days. All he knows is that he can't lose her. His mind replays it over and over and he keeps thinking that if he had done things differently, she wouldn't be here now. He finally falls asleep with his head on the side of her hospital bed with her hand in his.

Hetty paced in the hallway outside the ICU. She had called in favors which had allowed Deeks to stay with Kensi but she was concerned about him. He hadn't left her side nor had he eaten anything in almost two days.

Kensi had been unconscious for almost thirty six hours. She had a severe concussion and some major bruising from the fall. The doctor was concerned with the bump on her head and possible paralysis. They would know more when she woke up but there was a possibility of severe brain damage.

The entire team had been by to see her at some point and all of them had tried to get Deeks to eat or go home for just a little while. None of them had been able to convince him to leave, even for a few minutes.

As far as Hetty was concerned, it was time, and she was going to make sure he took care of himself. She walked into the room but stopped when she saw that he was finally asleep. She slipped silently back into the hallway. She would let him sleep for now but as soon as he was awake, they were going to have a little chat.

Two hours later he awoke with a start and immediately checked Kensi's monitors before standing and watching her for any signs of improvement. His heart sank when there was none. He sat back down and continued his routine of talking to her.

"Come on Wonder Woman. It's time to wake up. You can do it, I know you can. Bad Ass Blye is still in there and it's time she made an appearance don't you think?" He sighed and brought her hand up to kiss it softly. "Seriously Kens. I need you here. I'm… I don't know what to do," he whispered.

Before he could say anything else, Hetty walked into the room.

"Mr. Deeks, it's time we talked," she said as she walked to the other side of the bed.

He kept his eyes on Kensi and didn't acknowledge Hetty at all.

"Mr. Deeks!" she said raising her voice.

His head jerked up and he looked at her as if he was seeing her for the first time. "Yes Hetty?"

"Mr. Deeks. We've been trying to get you to take a break for two days, have you not heard a word that's been said?"

"It's been two days? She's not awake and it's been two days?" he asked incredulously looking back at Kensi with a renewed sense of worry.

"Mr. Deeks!" she said again trying to get his attention.

"What?"

"You need to eat something and you need to get some rest. You can't be here for Kensi if they have to admit you too."

"I can't leave her now Hetty. Please don't make me leave," he said practically begging.

"I will let you stay on one condition. Mr. Callen is bringing you some breakfast and I expect you to eat it. All of it. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Hetty. Eat breakfast. I got it."

She sighed, grateful he was at least listening to her. "She's going to be alright Martin. She just needs time to heal," she said softly.

He looked at her and replied, "I know. Thanks Hetty."

The door opened and Callen stuck his head inside. "Breakfast is served."

"Deeks looked at Hetty and asked, "Can I eat it here? I don't want her to wake up and me not be here."

She nodded to Callen who brought it in and began to set out the food on the tiny table in the room. Hetty excused herself as Callen pulled up another chair. He intended to stay with Deeks to make sure he actually finished it all.

"I got cheesy eggs and bacon which Kensi loves. Maybe the smell will wake her up," Callen suggested as he sat waiting for Deeks to join him. He watched as he quietly stood and brushed her hair back away from her face before kissing her hand.

"I'm right here Princess. I'm not going anywhere." He laid her hand down gently and turned his chair to face Callen.

"Coffee?" Callen said pointing at the cup.

"Thanks," he replied as he sat down and took a big sip. "I guess I didn't realize it had been so long…"

"She'll be okay Deeks. She's Kensi and she won't let anything keep her down."

He picked at his eggs then looked up at Callen and whispered, "What if she can't remember? What if she's not… right?"

Callen sighed and whispered in reply, "Look Deeks, you can't think that way. She needs you to be strong, to help her through this. And most of all, she needs you to quit blaming yourself."

He couldn't hide the look of shock on his face. He had told no one but Kensi about that and she wasn't exactly in a position to repeat it at the moment. He wasn't even sure she had heard him at all.

"It's human nature to second guess yourself Deeks. We've all done it but it doesn't do any good to blame yourself. Even if you had done things differently what's to say the outcome might not have been worse? You did what you were supposed to do and something bad happened. Stop blaming yourself."

"I should have checked the floor!" he insisted.

"And what if he had been on the stairs? She still could have gotten shot. You can't look at the situation with the knowledge you have now. You can only evaluate your actions with the knowledge you had at the time."

Deeks turned to look at Kensi and sighed. "I just wish…"

"Nope. Can't do that either," Callen said softly. "Today, Deeks. Today and the future. You can't live in the past and the what-ifs. If you do, it will eat you alive."

Deeks took another small bite then looked up at Callen, "The future, huh? I never really thought much about my future. Didn't think I really had one until…" he looked over at Kensi. "Until I came to work with you guys." He turned back to Callen then sighed and smiled briefly. "Thanks man. I guess I needed someone to knock some sense into me."

"I don't recall doing any 'knocking' but that can be arranged," he said grinning. "And one more thing... when Bad Ass Blye wakes up… tell her."

Deeks looked confused, "Tell her what?"

Callen stood and walked to the door, "About that future you've been dreaming about." He winked at Deeks and quietly left the room.

Deeks was shocked. Did he mean what he thought he meant? Surely not! He looked over at Kensi and shook his head in disbelief.

Maybe Callen was right and he should tell her how he really felt. But what if she didn't feel the same way? What if his confession ruined everything? He ultimately decided there would be time to figure it out later. Right now she needed to get well and he planned to help her through it. He quickly finished his breakfast and drank his coffee. The last thing he needed was for Hetty to kick him out.

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He was resting again with his head on the side of Kensi's bed when the beeping of her heart monitor woke him up. He jumped up when he realized her heart rate had increased. "Kensi, it's okay. I'm right here. Calm down." He gently rubbed her hand as he watched her face. What had once been still and serene was now a mass of grimaces and twitches. "Kens, hey, stop worrying," he said as he gently stroked her cheek with his other hand.

A nurse came in to check on her and she smiled at Deeks, "I think she's waking up. I'll go get the doctor."

He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. "Hey sleepyhead. 'Bout time you woke up. Open your eyes Kens. Let me see your beautiful eyes," he coaxed her gently.

Just as the doctor entered the room she blinked once and closed them again. He turned off the lights and began checking her with a small flash light. "Can you feel this?" he asked as he poked her foot with the end of a pen. She didn't answer but she jerked her foot away.

Deeks smile grew bigger.

He tested her reactions in several different areas and seemed pleased with what he saw. "Now, can you open your eyes?"

She blinked several times and finally opened them. She seemed to be looking around and finally focused on Deeks who was grinning widely.

The doctor looked at him and said, "Go ahead and ask her some questions."

Deeks moved closer and gripped her hand tigher then said, "Just for the record, what is your name Fern?"

"Fern?" she asked looking confused.

His smile faltered a bit and he asked, "Kensi, what year is it?"

"Who is Kensi?"

He looked up at the doctor then back down at her with obvious worry on his face.

She looked up at him and smiled softly, "I thought my name was Wonder Woman." She chuckled and reached for his cheek.

He laughed and asked, "So if you're Wonder Woman, who am I?"

She brushed his face softly and replied, "Superman, of course."

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_**Please Review! Epilogue to follow soon!**_


	6. Epilogue

**_A/N Thanks so much for all the alerts and reviews! This is the end of this story but I'm working on the sequel to "The Promise". The first chapter should be up in __a few days. _**

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**Epilogue**

**_Two Weeks Later_**

What would she do without him? He had been absolutely amazing the last two weeks. He had stayed with her at the hospital (as much as Hetty would allow) and had kept her mind busy when she was in her room, playing games and talking about strange unlikely scenarios in the vast universe that only his mind could conjure up. He also walked with her around the hospital when the doctor told her she needed to get up and start moving.

When he brought her home, he had stayed with her and taken care of everything. He cooked meals for her, he helped her exercise and had even helped her shower and get dressed. It had been awkward at first but he made sure she was completely covered and would turn his head away when she was not. Hetty had given him a few days off in order to make sure Kensi was following doctor's orders and to help her regain her independence.

The headaches and dizziness were almost gone now and she was surprised by how much she hurt in other ways. Ways that were not physical. Now that she was able to take care of herself, he would be leaving and that thought hurt more than her injuries ever had.

They had not discussed the closeness they had seemed to gain just before she had been injured. All of his energy seemed to be focused on getting her back on her feet for which she was extremely grateful. But… she wanted her Deeks back. The one who flirted with her constantly. The one who would have never passed up the many opportunities he had been given recently to make suggestive comments about her state of undress or the fact that they had been 'sleeping together' again. He hadn't flirted with her at all during the entire two weeks.

She missed him. Even though he was never more than ten feet away from her all day.

The first night she was home, he had been prepared to sleep on her couch. He got her ready for bed and carefully pulled the blanket up over her shoulders. When she realized he was about to leave she asked, "Where are you going?"

"Don't worry, I'm not leaving. I'll be out here on the couch. Just yell if you need me."

"Deeks, that couch is too small for me to sleep on which means it is much too small for you."

"It's fine Kens. I'd rather sleep there than on the floor."

"That's not what I'm saying. Just… get in the bed."

"What? This bed?"

"Do you see another one around here anywhere?"

"Well… no."

"I promise I won't bite. It's not like we haven't shared a bed before."

"I know… I just…"

She heard him sigh then reply softly, "Okay, I'll be right back."

He evidently was gone a long time because she fell asleep before he came back. When she awoke the next morning, he was indeed in the bed with her but he was as far away as he could get and there was a pillow between them. She much preferred waking up in his arms but he had made sure it couldn't happen. He continued the same process every night.

Something had to give. The daily routine was comfortable and the conversations were almost normal but there was tension there also. She couldn't let him leave without finding out what was wrong.

This was his last night here with her. Tomorrow he would go back to work and leave her alone during the day. She was sure he would check in on her afterward but it wouldn't be the same. He wouldn't be spending the night.

They had just finished a meal he had cooked that would have made Martha Stewart jealous. He continued to surprise her every day and every day she fell further in love with him.

Deeks was quiet and conversation was a bit thin as he cleaned up her kitchen after dinner. She sat on the couch with the TV on but she wasn't watching it. She was watching him. After a few minutes she decided the look she had been seeing in his eyes repeatedly was that of sadness and she couldn't stand it any longer.

"Deeks, come here. I can finish that later," she all but ordered.

"Right. I'll come back in a week and the dishes will still be in the sink. I know how it works around here," he teased as he kept on cleaning.

"Seriously, that can wait. We need to talk."

'_And there it is_,' he thought. The Talk. The one he had been dreading now for two weeks. The one where she says, '_This can't work so let's not even bother trying.' _He knew it was coming and had tried to distance himself to keep it from hurting so much.

It hadn't worked.

She hadn't mentioned the moment in the boatshed when they held hands. It almost seemed as if she was afraid of the consequences of even their usual physical contact. A day rarely went by that she didn't touch his arm or pat him on the back until now. She had seemed skittish so he had stayed away, or had at least tried to.

But the more time he spent with her, the more in love with her he became. How on earth was he going to be able to continue to be her partner and nothing more? His heart was breaking as he dried his hands and walked slowly to the couch. He sat at the opposite end and looked away from her, waiting for the bomb she was about to detonate in his soul.

"Deeks, please tell me what's wrong? You haven't been yourself lately and I can't help but think you're upset with me."

He jerked his head towards her and quickly replied, "No Kens, I'm not upset with you at all. You've been great, really."

"Then why are you so sad?" she asked reaching for his hand.

This was why he had been so careful not to touch her. The jolt of electricity that raced through him just made it that much more difficult to let her go. "I'm… I'm not sad. Why do you think I'm sad?"

She squeezed his hand and said softly, "Because you don't joke with me much, you haven't flirted with me since you brought me home and… and you don't touch me. It's like I've got the plague or something."

He swallowed hard and was immediately angry with himself. "I'm so sorry I made you feel that way," he said frowning as he scooted closer and reached up to brush a strand of hair away from her face. "It's not you Kens. I just want… I just wish…" He couldn't finish. When he finally looked into her eyes he found himself drowning in them. He couldn't look away. He didn't want to look away.

"What do you wish?" she whispered as she leaned closer.

His heart was racing and the words came out in a soft whisper before he could stop them.

"I wish you were mine."

She almost stopped breathing. The shocked look on her face must have scared him because he started to back away. She didn't think, she just did what her heart had wanted her to do for a long time. She pulled him toward her with one hand and reached around his neck with the other and kissed him softly.

He was dreaming. This had to be a dream. Was his partner really kissing him? After a few seconds of initial shock he finally responded to the kiss. It was soft and sweet and… perfect. It was everything he ever dreamed it would be and so much more.

She broke the kiss and looked up into his beautiful blue eyes and said, "I _am_ yours Marty and I have been for a long time."

He pulled her close and cupped her cheek in his hand as he kissed her again but this time he told her everything he was feeling without words. He was shaking when he finally pulled back. "Is this really happening?" he asked smiling.

"Yes, I think it is."

"Well, I would say it's about time but that might kill the mood," he said grinning.

She couldn't help but laugh.

"There's my guy!" she said as she kissed him again.

He deepened the kiss as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her body to his.

When they finally, reluctantly broke apart he said,

"And there's _my_ girl!"

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_**The End (Please review!)**_


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